A PRESENTATION ON

KOMATIITE
Ch Rajkumar
(23ES40011)
Department of Earth Sciences
Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE)
Visakhapatnam – 530003
CONTENTS

 INTRODUCTION
 MINERALOGY
 GEOCHEMISTRY
 TEXTURE
 PETROGENESIS
 CLASSIFICATION
 INDIAN OCCURRENCE
 ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
 CONCLUSION
 REFERENCE
 INTRODUCTION

50 YEARS AGO VILJOEN BROTHERS

1969
BARBETON AREA
 HOW IS THE NAME KOMATI DERIVED ?

KHOIKHOI LANGUAGE

Komati River’s

+
Perennial Nature

KOMA TI Cow that always

Gives Milk
 INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS A
KOMATIITE ? In Hand Specimen
These Rocks Are
 BLACK
 GRAY OR
 GRAY TO GREEN IN COLOUR

MOSTLY SHOWING A DISTINCT

PORPHYRIC SPINIFEX
TEXTURE
INTRODUCTION

Volcanic Rock
High Mg
IUGS MgO > 18%
SiO2 30 – 52 wt. %
(NaO2 + K2O) < 2%
TiO2 < 1%
INTRODUCTION

 Komatiites are ultramafic mantle-derived volcanic rocks. They have low SiO2,
low K2O, low Al2O3, and high to extremely high MgO.
 Komatiites were named for their type locality along the Komati River in South
Africa.
 True komatiites are very rare and essentially restricted to rocks of Archaean age
and most are greater than two billion years old, restricted in distribution to the
Archaean shield areas. Komatiites occur with other ultramafic and high-
magnesian mafic volcanic rocks in Archaean greenstone belts.
WHAT’S SO FASCINATING?

Magnesium

Ultra-Mafic Rock
Erupted as Lava

Chromite
 MINERALOGY

Essential Minerals
Glass

Olivine Pyroxene Accessory Minerals Chromite Spinel

Amphibole Plagioclase
These rocks undergo metamorphism, hydrothermal and sea-floor
alteration and deformation.

This alters their primary mineralogy, hence they contain metamorphic

minerals in place of their primary assemblages.

Low-grade metamorphism: Serpentine-Antigorite, chlorite, talc, tremolite,

. magnesite-dolomite and
magnetite.

High-grade metamorphism: Anthophyllyte, enstatite, olivine and diopside

OLIVINE
Forsterite Olivine: Phenocrysts
Rich in Ni, Ca and Cr
Magnesium Olivine is replaced by serpentine, talc and magnetite

PYROXENE
Ca-Cr pyroxene: porphyric phenocrysts
calcic-clinopyroxene, minor orthopyroxene: groundmass
bonzite, augite and pigeonite
Magnesium clinopyroxenes altered to epidote, chlorite, tremolite

PLAGIOCLASE
Anorthite i.e, Ca rich plagioclase: groundmass
GLASS
Devitrified, fresh or anhydrous
GEOCHEMISTRY

The Komatiites are composed of

MAJOR ELEMENTS
These are characterized by a specific chemistry that is
MgO > FeO
CaO/Al2O3>1
SiO2 < 46%
TRACE ELEMENTS
Ni, Cr and Co
These are the critical trace elements present in the Komatiite.
All these three are high and controlled by the MgO content.
Incompatible elements are very low and compatible elements are very high.
Cont...

RARE EARTH ELEMENTS (REE)

Most of the Komatiites show LREE that is the Depleted pattern.
Some of them exhibit flat to LREE enriched REE pattern.
Since Komatiites are formed by moderate to high degrees of melting of the mantle the REE
pattern indicates source pattern.
By these REE pattern we can conclude that we can identify what is the source composition of
the particular Komatiite rock.

OTHER VOLATILES ALSO

TEXTURE

A factor that has been mentioned in many papers on spinifex texture, but has not received
sufficient attention, is the role of constrained crystal growth during solidification of the crust
of a komatiite flow.

Constrained growth refers to the crystallization of parallel grains of olivine or pyroxene in the
downward-growing crust of a lava flow. The crystals compete with one another for nutrients.
Probably it is this competition that leads to the preferred, near-perpendicular orientation of
the olivine crystals in spinifex textures
 Erupted komatiite contains a small
proportion of olivine phenocrysts that grew either
during ascent to the surface or during flowage on the
surface. During cooling, some of these phenocrysts
become trapped in the crust that forms right at the top
of the flow, others settle towards to the base of the
flow and become part of the lower cumulate layer.
Olivine then nucleates in the layer of crystal-free
liquid just beneath the crust. The crystals that grow
from these nucleii have highly skeletal morphologies,
due to the high cooling rate in the crust of the flow,
and they are randomly oriented.
As cooling proceeds, these olivine grains continue to
grow. Those with a near-vertical orientation are favored
because their tips extend downwards into unfractionated
nutrient-rich liquid; those with orientations closer to
horizontal find only nutrient-poor liquid or collide with
other crystals, and they cease to grow. The
crystallization of olivine produces a residual liquid with
a composition different from that of the parental liquid,
depleted in Mg and enriched in Si, Al, Ca and Na. Its
density is less than that of the parental liquid.

As downward growth proceeds, this liquid is expelled

and it accumulates as a layer of low-density at the base
of the crystal front (Turner et al., 1986). The growing
tips of the spinifex crystals are bathed in a liquid
depleted in the components they require to grow.
TEXTURE:
DIFFERENTIATED
LAYERS
Variations
in texture across a several metre-
thick komatiite flow, showing well
developed layering.
DIFFERENTIATED LAYERS

In a typical komatiite lava, the textural profile of the lava from top to
bottom consists of the following:

Zone A: characterized by spinifex-textured rock.

Zone B: containing a high proportion of equant olivine crystals resembling
various peridotite to dunite cumulates.

Both zones have been further subdivided into several subzones, although
the individual subzones may not be continuous and may occasionally be
absent:
A1 chilled margin: This uppermost layer is aphyric or
extremely fine grained and only a few mm to a few cm
thick.

A2 Random spinifex texture: Gradationally under A1,

there is a layer of apparent needle-like, but actually
blade-like, skeletal crystals of olivine with a random
orientation. These crystals increase in size downward
from a few mm to several cm.

A3 Blade spinifex texture: This layer

gradationally underlies A2 and consists of
sets of blade-like crystals that are stacked at
slightly different angles against each other
and have a subvertical orientation. Sets of
blades increase in size downward. They can
be a cm to tens of cm in length, and in some
cases, m in length. The base of this textural
zone is sharp and may be planar to gently
undulating.
B1 Harrisitic texture: This zone is a cm to tens of cm thick and
consists of skeletal crystals, which may be elongate to equant in form.
They can have comb-like shapes and have a sub-horizontal orientation.

B2 Cumulate texture: massive medium- to fine-grained cumulate

composed mainly of equant olivine crystal.

B3: coarse-grained equant olivine cumulates.

B4: massive cumulate composed of olivine crystals with chilled basal

margin.
Komatiite lavas are highly fluid
because of their low viscosity and
high liquidus temperature, so they
would be expected to form rather
thin flows. The thick komatiitic
flows were probably ponded (lava
lakes and rivers) or were thickened
by flow inflation (flow ballooning)
due to repeated flow pulses, like
pahoehoe basalts of Kilauea,
Hawaii. Komatiite lavas are
inferred to have the ability to flow
over considerable distances from
eruption. Once a solid crust formed
around a flow, it would create an
efficient insulating surface that
would facilitate the flow of hot
komatiitic lava. Kidd-Munro Assemblage, Timmins, Ontario,
Canada. From James St. John.
 PETROGENESIS

Studying the conditions of formation of komatiite magmas, a unique igneous rock type generated
exclusively during the first 2 billion years of earth history, is the aim of this project. Komatiites have
been interpreted to represent high temperature eruptive products, and as such provide the primary
evidence for high temperatures in the Archean mantle and even the existence of an early whole earth
magma ocean. Reevaluation of the 3.49 Ga Barberton Mountain komatiites in South Africa indicates
that the komatiitic melts may have formed within a temperature and depth range similar to that
present in the modern subduction zones.
It also indicates that komatiite magma contained significant amounts of dissolved H2O, which
resulted in a lowering of the melting temperature in the mantle source. Interestingly, the high-Mg
basaltic komatiites that are the dominant volcanic rock type found in komattite occurrences are most
similar in major and trace element composition to modern boninite magmas, a rare, but important
subduction zone magma in modern subduction zone environments.
PETROGENESIS

 From the time of their discovery, there has been active debate about the
melting conditions required to produce liquids of komatiitic composition.
 Komatiites represent primitive mantle melts and require high degree
partial melting of the mantle (up to 50 %).
 The formation of komatiites has generally been attributed to mantle
plume upwelling and related volcanism in a variety of geodynamic
settings mainly during the Archean and early Proterozoic.
 The predominance of komatiites in the Archean, their decreasing
occurrence in the Proterozoic, and extreme rarity in the Phanerozoic have
been interpreted to reflect secular cooling of the mantle by up to 400°C.
The petrogenesis of komatiite rock involves several key factors:

 High Temperatures: Komatiites are formed at very high temperatures, often exceeding
1,600°C (2,912°F). These extreme temperatures are necessary for the complete melting of the
mantle material from which they originate.

 Mantle Source: The source of komatiite magma is the Earth's mantle, specifically the
uppermost part of the mantle, which is called the mantle wedge. The mantle wedge is
typically enriched in magnesium and has lower silica content compared to the rest of the
mantle.

 Partial Melting: Komatiite formation begins with partial melting of the mantle wedge. Partial
melting occurs when only a portion of the mantle rocks melt, leaving behind the residual solid
material. This process is triggered by high temperature and sometimes pressure conditions,
which cause the mantle rocks to become more ductile and allow some of the minerals to melt.
 High Magnesium Content: One of the distinguishing features of komatiite is its
exceptionally high magnesium content. This is due to the preferential melting of minerals
rich in magnesium, such as olivine and pyroxenes, while leaving behind minerals with
higher aluminum and silicon content.

 Low Silica Content: Komatiite rocks have very low silica content (typically less than 45%),
which is a result of the preferential melting of low-silica minerals and the depletion of high-
silica minerals.

 Rapid Ascent: Once formed, komatiite magma rapidly ascends to the surface due to its low
viscosity, which is a consequence of its high temperature and low silica content. This rapid
ascent can lead to explosive volcanic eruptions.

 Cooling and Solidification: As komatiite magma reaches the surface, it begins to cool and
solidify. The rapid cooling contributes to the formation of characteristic spinifex-textured
olivine crystals, which are a key feature of komatiite rocks.

 Archean Context: While komatiite rocks are rare today, they were more common in the
Archean Eon (2.5 to 4 billion years ago). The higher heat flow and different mantle
conditions of the early Earth favored the formation of komatiites.
 CLASSIFICATION

Based on major and trace element content Komatiites are classified as:

Aluminium Depleted Aluminium Undepleted

Barberton greenstrone belt Abitibi Belts Gilmour Island Karasjok Gorgona Island
Komatiites, Komatiites, Komatiites, Komatiites, Komatiites,
South Africa Canada Canada Finland Colombia

3.5Ga 2.7Ga 1.9Ga 2.4Ga 90Ma

30% MgO in Liquid 30% MgO in Liquid 25% MgO in Liquid 24% MgO in Liquid 22% MgO in Liquid
Cont..

This was also classified into four varieties based upon their chemistry
that is the MgO, FeO and Al2O3 content.
So, these are the major elements on the basis of which they are classified into 4 types:
 PICRITIC KOMATIITE
 KOMATIITES
 BASALTIC KOMATIITE
 KOMATIITIC BASLT
OCCURENCE

Komatiite is an ultramafic, high-magnesium volcanic rock that is quite rare and has a
specific geological significance. Komatiites are primarily associated with Archean and
early Proterozoic geological periods, which are considered the Earth's "greenstone
belt" sequences.
Here are some notable occurrences of komatiite around the world:
 Canada: In Canada, komatiite occurrences are found in various regions, including
the Abitibi greenstone belt in Ontario and Quebec. The Shawinigan Formation, part
of the Abitibi greenstone belt, contains examples of komatiites.
 Western Australia: The Agnew-Wiluna greenstone belt in Western Australia is
famous for its extensive komatiite occurrences. The Agnew Mine is a well-known
location for the mining of komatiite-associated nickel deposits.
 South Africa: The Barberton Greenstone Belt in South Africa contains some of the oldest
komatiite sequences in the world, dating back over 3 billion years.

 Finland: The Outokumpu area in eastern Finland has occurrences of komatiites associated with nickel-
copper mineralization.

 Greenland: The Isua Supracrustal Belt in Greenland is another location where komatiites have been
discovered, offering insights into early Earth geological processes.

 Russia: Komatiites have been reported in the Belomorian greenstone belt in Russia's Karelia region.

 Zimbabwe: The Great Dyke in Zimbabwe is a geological feature that contains komatiite-associated
deposits of chromite and platinum group elements.

 Brazil: The Carajás greenstone belt in Brazil has komatiite occurrences associated with gold and copper
mineralization.

These are just a few examples of the many places where komatiite occurrences have
been identified. Komatiite rocks are valuable for understanding the Earth's geological history, including its
early mantle dynamics, the evolution of the continents, and the formation of valuable mineral deposits.
They are typically found in ancient Archean greenstone belts, and studying these rocks provides important
insights into the Earth's past.
INDIAN OCCURENCE

 The Dharwar Craton: Komatiite occurrences have been reported in the Dharwar
Craton of southern India, particularly in the states of Karnataka and Andhra
Pradesh. These komatiites are part of the Archean greenstone belts of the region.
The greenstone belts in the Dharwar Craton contain a variety of volcanic and
sedimentary rocks, including komatiites, and are important for understanding
early Earth geology.
 The Singhbhum Craton: Komatiite occurrences are also documented in the
Singhbhum Craton, located in eastern India, primarily in the state of Jharkhand.
The Singhbhum Craton contains several Archean greenstone belts that have
revealed evidence of komatiite formation.
 The Bastar Craton: Komatiite occurrences have been reported in the Bastar
Craton, which is situated in central India, mainly in the states of Chhattisgarh and
Odisha. These komatiites are associated with other Archean rocks in the region.
Cont..

Basically, we can find komatiite rocks in oceanic and continental rifting and plumes as well.
In INDIA, greenstone belts like:
 KOLAR
 HUTTI
 RAMAGIRI
 SHIMOGA
Are famous for the Komatiite rocks
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

 The economic importance of komatiite was first widely recognised in the early
1960's with the discovery of massive nickel sulfide mineralisation at Kambalda,
Western Australia. Komatiite-hosted nickel-copper sulfide mineralisation today
accounts for about 14% of the world's nickel production, mostly from Australia,
Canada and South Africa.
 Komatiites are associated with nickel and gold deposits in Australia, Canada,
South Africa and most recently in the Guiana shield of South America.
ECONOMIC VALUES

Host Micro-Diamonds

Greater Values
Spinifex Textured Nickel Sulphide Ore
o They are also valuable for primary and
secondary ore deposits.

o For instance they contain primary sulphide

deposits and secondary laterite deposits rich
in Nickel and Cobalt

Figure:
Underground Lunnon Shoot, Kambalda,
Western Australia
 CONCLUSION

 Peridotitic komatiites can be recognized and defined by the presence of spinifex textures. Their general
geochemical parameters, particularly the chondritic ratios of many element pairs suggest that large
amounts of mantle melting are-involved. There is as yet no-suitable definition of basaltic komatiites
except that they are high-Mg basaltic liquids.
 The high CaO/Al2O3 ratio of Barberton komatiites (1.5) is due to aluminium depletion whereas the
majority of other komatiites have CaO/Al2O3 ratios close to l. We refer to these two types as
aluminum depleted komatiites (ADK) and aluminium undepleted komatiites (AUK), respectively. This
terminology refers to both peridotitic and basaltic types.
 ADK are characterized by low Al2O3/TiO2 ratios and by heavy REE.

 The CaO/Al2O3 ratios of AUK can be explained by sequential melting provided aluminous
orthopyroxene remains in the source.

 A spectrum of partial melting in the Archean resulted in a series of liquids ranging in composition
from tholeiitic to komatiltic. Geochemical relationships, particularly the REE, suggest that the
basaltic komatiites are not the products of fractional crystallization of peridotitic komatiites.

 Post-Archean komatiites are rare; in our vierv, low-Ti-basalts found in some Phanerozoic ophiolites
do not conform to the definition of komatiite.

***
REFERENCE

1. Gate Research Paper https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277028892_Komatiite

2. Alex Strekeisen https://www.alexstrekeisen.it/english/vulc/komatiites.php
3. Nicholas ARNDT Komatiite Book
4. Atlas Hornin http://www.atlas-hornin.sk/en/record/54/komatiite
5. Youtube, etc.
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR PRECIOUS TIME